Gabriella Poole: Blood Ties (Darke Academy)

He stared at her, his face a picture of disgust. ‘What are you, Cassie?’

What was she? Didn’t know, didn’t care. There was a lead weight on her brain and an even heavier one in her gut. What had she done?

‘You killed Vaughan. That FBI guy? And then …’ He trailed off.

‘I didn’t mean to.’

‘But you did, Cassie. You did.’

‘Jake, not now. I can’t think.’ Stepping back from them both, Cassie rubbed her face hard with the palms of her hands, her breathing

shallow and rapid. Suddenly she didn’t want to look at him. Was there still a trace of red in her eyes?

‘Jake, leave her alone.’ Isabella’s voice surprised them both, and they turned. She looked exhausted, but her speech was clear. ‘What

about you? What did Vaughan and Brigitte do, did they hurt you?’

‘No. Not really. They came for me when I was asleep. Before I knew what was happening, they’d taken me to the park.’ Once more he took

a pace towards Cassie. ‘Did you know what would happen? What they were planning? Why did you have the knife? You took it from my

room, didn’t you? Did you know what they were going to do with us, Cassie? Is that something you freaks all know about, you sick—’ He

broke off, shaking with what seemed to Cassie like a mixture of fear and disgust.

Had she known? Had she known what she would end up doing?

Maybe …

Maybe she’d wanted it.

Otherwise, why had she been so hell-bent on finding the knife, on doing everything just as Estelle ordered? Twisting her fingers into her

hair, Cassie gave a low groanthat came out as a growl. Her head still felt like a lump of stone yet it didn‘t seem to belong to her at all. Jake’s

hectoring voice was a long, long way away. Nothing mattered except the vortex of emptiness that was growing inside her, spinning into a

greater and greater void.

‘I need to feed,’ she whispered as her legs gave way beneath her.

She couldn’t focus. Vaguely, she knew she was being dragged further into the alley, propped against a brick wall between a fire escape

and some restaurant bins. A gentle hand tipped her head back and stroked her face.

‘She’s in a bad way, Jake.’ Isabella’s voice sounded as if it came from the bottom of a deep well.

‘So what? Isabella, leave her. Let’s go.’

‘No, Jake. No.’

A silence, during which Cassie heard her own breathing, rapid and shallow and hungry. Her fingers twitched, seeking to grab Isabella but

only scraping uselessly on cobbles.

‘Wait, what are you going to …? No! No way, Isabella!’

‘I’ve told you before, Jake.’ Isabella’s tone was determined. ‘Stay out of this. It’s got nothing to do with you.’

Hear, hear, thought Cassie woozily. Stay out of it, Jake …

‘Absolutely not. I won’t let you!’

‘You can’t stop me. Take your hands off me!’

To Cassie, the face-off seemed to last forever. Her own body seemed impossibly distant from her, yet the core of hunger was intolerable.

She was just beginning to wish, despite herself, she’d left Jake to his shallow, unthinkable grave …

‘OK, OK. Sorry. Come on, Isabella, please!’

‘Jake, no! We’d be dead if it wasn’t for Cassie!’

‘You could be dead because of her!’

‘You think?’ Isabella’s voice was tense. ‘Let me tell you, Jake Johnson: none of this is Cassie’s fault. She is what she is, but she is also

our friend. She would give her life for us! She almost did! Fair is fair. I’m willing to risk mine for her.’

‘Isabella, you think I can stand that? I love you! I love you. Don’t do this.’

There was a pause.

‘Jake … I love you too. But if you won’t stay here and help me – help us – you can go to hell.’ Her words were tough, but Isabella’s voice

was trembling with emotion.

Jake stared at them both, disbelieving, love and loathing warring in his eyes. He took a step forward, and for a moment Cassie thought

Isabella’s words had done enough to persuade him. Then his mouth hardened, andhe turned his back and walked away. A moment later, he

had vanished into the night.

Isabella silently watched him go. Then she knelt in front of Cassie, loosening her coat collar, cupping her face in her cold hands and

moving to put her lips to her friend’s.

No, no, not like that, it’s too dangerous …

But Cassie couldn’t help herself. Her fingers flailed in Isabella’s glossy hair. Feebly, she held her head up and whimpered.

The surge of energy slammed into her like a high-voltage current. Isabella’s mouth was pressed against her own, and Cassie leaned